Device for storing numeric values



July 11, 1961 "r. ESPEGARD 2,991,933 DEVICE FOR STORING NUMERIC VALUES Filed Dec. 27, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I/VVZ/VTOR TOLLEF ESPEGARU 5 QZZZ /QiJ/ZZ ATTORNEYS July 11, 1961 ESPEGARD 2,991,933

DEVICE FOR STORING NUMIJRIC VALUES Filed Dec. 27, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 j j T 5 kw "q. 10

I] I l 12", in ii I 5 n I i I I k2 7:9 I p. J", 1 g. oo ooo ooo booo ooob o g o 33131221111112222333; s ""IIIIIIIII.'II; I I [I c c oooooooooooo oo I 37 35 5/ 32 1/ I I 2 I l 1 T F i Z6 I"; q i 1 .P. 1" 26 i 25 35 I I 35 25 I. 33 22 4 32 27 I I I 32 PA 25 32 J INVENTOR TOLLEF ESPZGARD y My ATTORNEYS July 11, 1961 T. ESPEGARD 2,991,933 DEVICE FOR STORING NUMERIC VALUES Filed Dec. 27, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR TOLLEF ESPEGARD Bf ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,991,933 DEVICE FOR STORING NUMERIC VALUES Tollef Espegard, 'Eckerbergsgate 24, Oslo, Norway Filed Dec. 27, 1956, Ser. No. 630,928 Claims priority, application Germany Jan. 3, 1956 15 Claims. (Cl. 235-61) The present invention relates to a device which permits numeric values to be stored in any desired number in calculating machines, such as book-keeping machines and the like, by simple and inexpensive means and within a small space.

The invention is primarily characterized in that for each numeric order a bead track is provided in which preferably spherical beads serving to transmit motions corresponding to the digit values in both directions are arranged closely in a row, the dimension of each bead (or an entire multiple thereof) along the track being equal to the distance corresponding to a digit unit, that in a fractional section of each track a stopping member is provided, which is displaceable by means of the bead row concerned and the bead row engages at least one driving member outside the said section, and that for all numeric orders covered, the said fractional sections are accommodated in a storing body, which for each numeric order contains several such sections and is displaceable transversely to the direction of the tracks for alternative insertion of these sections into the bead tnack.

Further features of the invention will appear from the following description of a convenient embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawmgs.

FIG. 1 shows the device in longitudinal section along the line I-I in FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 shows the device in cross-section along the broken line II-II in FIG. 3,

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on a small scale along the line III-III in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fractional view taken in the sectional plane of FIG. 1 and showing the upper part of a storing block forming part of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V-V of FIG. 4.

In the drawings 1 designates a horizontally disposed casing of rectangular cross-section and 2 designates a block which is attached to the casing and bridging an opening in the top wall thereof, and the bottom face of which is flush with the bottom face of the top wall. The block 2 is composed of mutually similar plates 3 held together by bolts 4, which extend transversely with respect to the casing. A groove in each plate 3 together with the plane surface of the adjacent plate forms a guiding track 5, which is filled out by closely arranged, preferably spheric beads 6. Each row of beads is in one point (or even in several points) in engagement with a dented wheel 7 placed in a corresponding circular recess 8 in the plate 3 concerned, and freely rotatable on a common fixed shaft 9. Each dented wheel 7 has a portion formed as a toothed wheel 10 and adapted to rotate in a corresponding recess in the adjacent plate, and immediately beside the same there is arranged a horizontal guiding passage 11 for a rack 12 capable of longitudinal motion. The toother gears 10 can be coupled to the adjacent racks 12 by means of coupling gears 13 arranged freely rotatable on a vertically movable shaft 14 extending above the block 2. Further in FIG. 1 there are indicated counter gears 15 and 16 provided with toothed rims and adapted on lowering of their shafts 17 and 18 to be coupled for introducing numeric values into or withdrawing numeric values from the storing device.

Patented July 11, 1961 ice Through all the plates 3 extends a recess 19 which is open at the bottom and which on both sides is flush with a corresponding opening 20 in the bottom of the casing 1, which at this point is somewhat enlarged on both sides as indicated by 21 and 22 respectively.

In the recess 19 and the opening 20 a parallelepipedic block 23 is displaceable in a vertical direction and likewise in a horizontal direction transversely of the casing 1 by a distance corresponding to the thickness of one plate 3. A displacement in the vertical direction can be elfected by turning a shaft 24, carrying gears 25, which engage toothed racks 35 at either end of the block 23 and is arrested by means of plate springs 26, so as to keep the block 23 in the adjusted position at any time. A displacement in the horizontal direction may be effected in a corresponding manner by turning a vertical shaft 27 carrying an elongated gear 29, which is arrested by a plate spring 28 and engages a horizontal rack 30 attached to 'the bottom of the block 23.

The block 23 has a somewhat more than twice the height of the casing 1, and has in its upper portion a window 31 filled out by a storing block 32 and having dimensions corresponding to the internal cross-sectional dimensions of the casing 1.

In planes which coincide with the planes of the ball tracks 5 or may be made to coincide with these planes by horizontal displacement of the block 23 and the block 32 to positions corresponding to the arrested positions of the gear 29, a large number of horizontal passages 33 are arranged in the block 32, which by vertical displacements of the block 23 corresponding to the arresting of the gears 25, can be connected alternatively in the lower part of the ball tracks concerned, these tracks having for example a circular course as shown, and the track sections, constituted by the passages 33, forming chords bridging the interruption of the ball tracks caused by the recess 19.

The ducts 33 are filled out partly by balls 6 corresponding to those of the ducts 5 and partly by stopping members 34, one of which is inserted in each row of balls. However, while the ducts 5 preferably have a rounded U-shaped cross section of a width and depth corresponding to the diameter of the balls 6, the ducts 33 may have a cross section projecting outside the balls but anyhow providing an exact guiding thereof, for example a square cross section having a side length corresponding to the ball diameter, and the stopping members 34 are made with a cross sectional shape corresponding to the ducts 33. Besides, the block 32 may be terminated at one end (or at both ends) by a plate 36 fixed thereto and having circular openings 37 in prolongation of the ducts 33, which openings just admit the balls 6 to pass therethrough; in that case the thickness of the plate 36 is made equal to the diameter of one ball (or an entire multiple thereof).

As it appears from the drawings, the block 32 with the filled ducts provided therein prevents the balls 6 from falling out of the guiding tracks 5, and the block 2 prevents balls from falling out of the ducts 33 in the part of this block projecting upwards into the block 2. The balls within the lower part of the block 32 are prevented from falling out due to the fact that on both sides of the block, similar blocks 32 are located, which are placed closely in a row within the casing 1 and are held together by a displaceable yoke 38, the block 23 preventing at the same time balls from falling out of the adjacent blocks 32 below the block 32.

As regards the manner of operation it is to be observed that the ball tracks 5 with appurtenant dented wheels 7, coupling gears 13, racks 12, counter gears 15, 16 etc. may be provided in a number corresponding to the number of digits to *be covered, and in a starting position in which the stopping members 34 are located in the extreme right hand positions within the ducts 33 as viewed in FIG. 1, each of the ducts 33 contains to the left thereof a number of balls which, in the numerical system taken as a basis, correspond to the number of possible digit values minus 1 (or an entire multiple hereof). Thus, in the example shown, the decadic system has been assumed so that apart from the openings 37 in the plate 36, each of the ducts 33 accommodates nine balls. If now a numeric value is to be introduced into the storing device, the block 23 is moved vertically by means of the shaft 24 to a position in which the ducts 33 in the block 32 communicating with the ball tracks 5 have their stopping members 34 in the starting position, the dented wheels 7 are coupled at their gear rims 10 to the appurtenant racks 12 by lowering the shaft 14, arid by means of a counter which is made to engage the racks 12, the latter are displaced to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1, by distances proportional to the respective digit values. The dimensions have been chosen so that the displacement of any rack 12 corresponding to a unit value, due to the consequent turning of the wheel 7, causes a displacement of the balls 6 in the appurtenant track 5 by a distance which is divisible by the ball diameter or conveniently, as in the example shown, is equal to the ball diameter. Therefore, by the displacement referred to of the racks 12, the stopping members 34 of the ducts 33 communicating with the tracks 5 are moved to the left from the starting position by distances constituting multiples of the ball diameter corresponding to the digit values, whereby the number to be introduced is stored. If now a new number is to be introduced, a fresh row of ducts 33, the stopping members of which are in the starting position, is inserted into the ball tracks by a vertical displacement of the block 23 with the block 32. If all ducts located above each other in the planes coinciding with the tracks 5 are occupied, additional storing is possible by a horizontal displacement of the block 23 within the enlargements 21, 22, three rows, located beside each other, of ducts located one above the other in the block 32 being provided for each ball track 5 If a number is to be withdrawn from the storing device, the racks 12 are again coupled to the dented wheels 7 in the manner described and moved to the left in FIG. 1 by means of a counter driven through resilient links, whereby the dented wheels 7 will cause a displacement of the balls 6 backwards, i.e. counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 1, until their respective stopping members 34 are stopped by the plate 36, so that the displacement of the individual racks 12 and hence the rotational motion of the counter gears concerned will 'be proportional to the individual digits stored.

It will easily be seen that in the lifted position of the shaft 14 the racks 12 may be used for other operations without affecting the storing device. However, the same efliect may also be obtained by providing additional ducts 39. parallel to the ducts: 33, which additional ducts are exclusively filled with balls and are connected in the ball tracks in a predetermined vertical position of the block 23. It will easily be understood that due to this expedient the racks 12 may be permanently coupled to the ball rows and yet be used also for other purposes when required. The channels 39 might well be provided in the block 32, but when they are accommodated in the block 23 a saving of space is obtained if additional blocks 32' are adapted to be inserted in substitution for the block 32.

The possibility of such exchange is illustrated separately in FIG. 3. If the block 23 is moved to its lowermost position and for instance placed in the central position in horizontal direction, the window 31 will coincide with the internal cross section of the casing 1, so that it becomes possible by displacing the yoke 38 to place a block 32 in the window in substitution for the block 32 and thereby to make, it ready for additional storing operations. The displacement of the yoke 3.8..ismade. possible, by the fact that it extends through a slot 40 in one side wall of the casing 1.

In the example shown, in which there are eight ball tracks and ten storing blocks, which for each ball track has three rows located beside each other of ten duct sections located above each other, it will be possible to store three hundred eight-figured numbers according to the decadic system, and it will easily be seen that the device of the invention may be adapted for any desired storing capacity and likewise for any desired numerical system. It will also be obvious that the device of the invention may be modified in many respects, for example the ball track '5 may have any other desired shape than the closed circular shape shown. Likewise the displaceable beads may have a shape differing from the spheric shape, for example similar to a roll or disk.

Further the driving members for the bead tracks may also have forms differing from that of the dented wheel shown; for example they may be formed as dented rods or wheel sectors engaging the beads, or be formed by members displaceable in the bead tracks and engaging in turn transmission members such as gears, racks, sectors or the like. 7

I claim:

1. A device for storing numeric values in calculating machines, comprising a first set of fractional bead tracks, each for one numeric order, extending in substantially parallel planes, a plurality of sets of additional fractional bead tracks conjointly displaceable relative to said first set and adapted alternatively to adopt positions in alignment therewith, in each of which positions a set of said additional tracks forms a set of complete tracks with the first set of fractional tracks, beads serving to transmit motion corresponding to digit values in both directions closely arranged in a row in each of said first set of bead tracks and said additional fractional bead tracks, a plurality of driving means each associated with one of said first fractional tracks for imparting motion corresponding to digit values, and by distances equal to the dimension of a bead along the track or entire multiples thereof, to a complete row of beads, and stopping members each inserted in one of said additional tracks and movable conjointly with the beads therein, said stopping members cooperating with stops in said complete tracks for fixing a starting position of the beads therein.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said driving means include rotatable members formed with dents engaging the bead row.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cross section of the tracks in each of said additional tracks has a shape providing for the exact guiding of the beads, but larger than the circumference thereof, and the stopping members are interpositioned in the bead rows of the additional tracks and likewise have a cross section greater than that of the beads, and said complete tracks have portions of reduced cross section admitting passage of the beads only therethrough limiting the movement of said stopping members.

4. A device for storing numeric values in calculating machines comprising a plurality of bead tracks each for one numeric order, said tracks being located in substantially parallel planes, beads serving to transmit motions corresponding to the digit values in both directions closely arranged in a row in each of said bead tracks, a plurality of stopping members each being provided in a fractional section of each track and being displaceable by means of the bead row of its respective track, means for positioning said stopping members at the starting position of said beads upon movement of said stopping members in one direction, said track fractional sections being substantially parallel, at least one driving member outside said sections engaging a bead row, and a storing body which for each numeric order contains a plurality of said fractional sec! tions and is displaceable perpendicular tg'the direction of said track fractional sections for alternative insertion of said sections into said bead tracks.

5. A device claimed in claim 4, wherein means provides additional fractional sections which are not in engagement with said stopping members, and which on displacement 5 of said storing body may be inserted in said bead tracks instead of the fractional sections provided with stopping members.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said storing body is displaceable in a direction parallel to the planes of said bead tracks.

7. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said storing body is displaceable in a direction perpendicular to the planes of said bead tracks.

8. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said storing body is capable of translatory displacement transversely to the direction of said track in two directions perpendicular to each other.

9. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said storing body has additional bead track sections between adjacent bead track planes of the track stretches located outside said fractional sections and said body is displaceable parallel to said track planes and also in a direction perpendicular thereto.

10. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a plurality of storing bodies are provided, which are adapted to be made operative alternatively for cooperation with said bead tracks.

11. A device for storing numeric values in calculating machines comprising a plurality of bead tracks each for one numeric order, said tracks being located in substantially parallel planes, beads serving to transmit motions cor responding to the digit values in both directions closely arranged in a row in each of said head tracks, a plurality of stopping members each being provided in a fractional section of each track and being displaceable by means of the bead row of its respective track, means for positioning said stopping members at a starting position for said beads in engagement therewith upon movement of said beads in one direction, said track fractional sections being substantially parallel, at least one driving member outside said sections engaging a bead row, a plurality of storing bodies capable of being made operative alternatively for cooperation with said bead tracks and in their inoperative position said storing bodies being displaceable in common in the directon of said fractional sections and each of said storing bodies containing for each numeric order a plurality of said fractional sections and being displaceable into and out of cooperation with said bead tracks in a direction parallel to the planes of said tracks.

12. A device as claimed in claim 11, wherein a blocking body guides the movement of the operative storing body and closes the adjacent ends of said fractional sections therein.

13. A device as claimed in claim 11, wherein a blocking body guides the movement of the operative storing body and closes the adjacent ends of said fractional sections therein, and said blocking body has additional fractional sections which are not in engagement with said stopping members and which on displacement of said storing body may be inserted in said bead tracks instead of the fractional sections provided with stopping members.

14. A device as claimed in claim 11, including a block composed of a number of plates placed closely in a row, and in which said bead tracks are provided at the interfaces of adjacent plates.

15. A device for storing numeric values in calculating machines, comprising a body member forming a plurality of bead track sections, each for one numeric order, and extending in substantially parallel planes, at least one storing member formed with several sets of head track sections and displaceable relative to said body member so as to alternatively bring said sets into complementary relation with the track sections of said body member for forming endless bead tracks therewith, beads serving to perform motions corresponding to the digit values and closely arranged in a row in each of said track sections and movable longitudinally thereof, each bead along each track having a dimension equal to the distance corresponding to a digit unit, a plurality of elements each arranged in a track section of said storing member and movable conjointly with the beads therein, a plurality of driving means adapted to impart motion to respective rows of beads in each of said endless bead tracks in one direction or the other, and means cooperating with said elements for stopping such motion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,537,628 Hanson et al. Ian. 9, 1951 

